Booklet forming means and method



y 29, 1956 J. R. MARSHALL, JR 2,747,865

BOOKLET FORMING MEANS AND METHOD Filed June 2, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. OSePhRMarsLo Jr.

y 2-9 6 J. R. MARSHALL, JR 2,747,865

BOOKLET FORMING MEANS AND METHOD Filed June 2 1951 L Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. Joseph RMarsIzall Jn HHy.

United States Patent 2,747,865 BOOKLET FORMING MEANS AND METHOD JosephR. Marshall, Jr., Portland, Greg. Application June 2, 1951, Serial No.229,560 7 Claims. (til. 27il-32) hesive to the sheet or web of printedpaper prior to the folding step in the booklet assembly.

The printing industry generally classifies all printed matter as eithera single sheet, a folder, a book, or variations thereon. Within thefolder classification are included booklets, leaflets, and advertisingbroadsides of many diverse types, each constituting four or more pagesfolded from a single printed sheet or Web. Thus, by way of example, asixteen-page advertising booklet initially may be printed on acontinuous web by an oifset or stereotype press. After leaving thepress, the web is slit once, folded three times, trimmed and bound toproduce an eight-sheet, sixteen-page booklet. It is in combination withthe folding of such a booklet and with the binding thereof that I havechosen to illustrate the advantages of my invention, although it will beevident that such advantages also can be made to flow to otherapplications of liquid adhesive.

In survey of the methods hitherto practiced in the binding of foldersand booklets, wire stitching or stapling appears to be most popular,followed by thread or decorative floss sewing methods and pasting orgluing, in that order. My experience as a master printer, however, haslead to the recognition of certain disadvantages inherent in each suchpior art binding method. Thus, metallic wire today is becoming inincreasingly short: supply, it is an expensive binding and the practiceof this binding method requires the employment of extra, help, all tothe printers detriment in a highly competitive field. Sewing by threador decorative floss, on the other hand, is prohibitive competition-wise,since this binding is even more expensive than wire binding. It is forthis reason that a majority of all bound advertising folders, booklets,and pamphlets have either wire, paste, or glue bindings.

Turning to the least expensive and most satisfactory method of binding,paste or glue hitherto most commonly has been applied with a groovedroller wheel which dips into a well and rolls over the surface of theprinted paper sheet. The long, thin paste or glue line thus produceddefines the binding line about which the printed. sheet is folded tostick together companion pages and form a booklet binding. A three-folddisadvantage flows from the application of a binding adhesive in thismanner, toward the alleviation or elimination of which; my invention isdirected in its more broad concept.

Firstly, the conventional paste roller, when used with a continuousweb-tpye printing press, must be geared to or otherwise synchronizedwith the press, so the peripheral velocity of the roller will match thelineal speed of the moving web. Were these speeds not correlated, theadhesive binding line would vary in thickness and produce a nonuniformbooklet. However, such correlation requires an expensive and complexgear train or the like which can be eliminated entirely in my inventivestructure. Secondly, a paste well, roller, and associated mechanism mustbe thoroughly cleaned after each operation or at the end of each daysshift. Since the paste used is a thick, sticky substance which hardenswith exposure to the air, considerable time is lost at the end of eachday or operation in performing such cleaning tasks. To cite but oneadvantage then, my invention allows the printing crew engaged in theformation of booklets to work the full shift in performance of theirprime objec-. tive rather than, as with a paste roller, requiring them;to stop a half or one hour early to clean a multiplicity of paste wells,wheels, gears, and associated mechanism. in summation, the abovedisadvantages have launched my inquiry into a better method and meansfor applying adhesive in the binding of booklets.

The third item of prior disadvantage flows directly in inhibition of thequality and substance of the finished booklet. Thus, two factors boundthe selection and quality of a paste or glue-type booklet binding.Firstly, durability and the ability to withstand that usage for which itis intended mark the production of a first-class. binding. Secondly,within the bounds of durability, the wider the booklet pages can openand the more flat they wiil lie when opened, the easier it is to readthe printing and the better the binding. The conventional roller methodof adhesive application falls short of the desired efficiency in boththese factors. Thus, the very nature of the thick paste or glue and theinherent manner of mechanical application cause the adhesive-bindingline to vary, over a wide range, in width, thickness, and continuity.That is to say, the amount of adhesive applied by a roller is extremelydifiicult to control. Not only does the heavy paste or glue tend to ballup, slop over, and vary in consistency, but the roller wheel picks upsmall impurities such as dust particles and, thereafter, the rollerperiphery tends to skip or sluff over spaces on the printed paper web orsheet. Such fluctuations and variations produce a booklet of nonuniformquality in which one unit of production may open wide and lie fiat,whereas another will be glued shut an excessive amount and yet anothermay be glued over only a portion of the intended binding line.

Accordingly, it is a prime object of my invention to provide a methodfor applying a liquid adhesive to a web or sheet in such a manner andwith such control that the binding line thereby formed will be accuratewithin minute tolerances and will be uniform throughout a, prolonged runor operation.

' To this end, my inventive structure includes a hollow nozzle memberhaving a fine orifice for emitting a thin, controlled jet of liquid.This nozzle is spaced a short distance from and is aimed toward theprinted web or sheet of paper. Further, I prefer to uitilize a thin,easy flowing adhesive, such as a dextrin base glue, and to feed thisadhesive to the nozzle under pressure from a large supply tank.Thereafter, the printed web or sheet is moved past the nozzle at auniform velocity to intercept the jet of adhesive and to define a thin,straight binding line. By regulating and adjusting the orifice opening,the pressure, the spacing of the nozzle and web, and the consistency ofthe adhesive, I obtain a binding line of preselected, exact dimensions.In fact, the width and thickness of this line are controllable, with myinventive structure and/ or in practice of my inventive method, to a fewthousandths of an inch. Accordingly, there results a booklet of highquality, which will open wide and lie fiat. Further, this improvedbooklet will be of uniform quality throughout the run so that thousandsof bindings of identical structure will result.

A further object of my invention includes the provision of a structureor means, in combination with a paper folder, for forming and binding amultipage booklet from a single printed sheet of paper, said booklet tobe possessed of the advantages and to be provided in solution to theproblems heretofore mentioned.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will be set forthin the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view, partially broken away, showing aconventional offset press for printing a continuous web, a conventionalrotary cylinder folder for forming booklets therefrom, and a jet-typenozzle and associated inventive mechanism as applied to and as used inconjunction with these conventional structures;

Fig. 2 is a detail view of a nozzle, conduit, and filter, for emitting acontinuous thin jet of liquid adhesive and this figure further indicatesone of the adjustment mechanisms for use with the aforementionedstructure;

Figs. 3 and 4 are related perspective views of one slit web (or of twoseparate webs) showing the thin, continuous lines of adhesive appliedthereto to define the binding line in the formation of a booklet andthese figures indicate, diagrammatically, the sequential steps in thefolding of such a booklet;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a booklet completely folded and showingthe binding thereof somewhat exaggerated to illustrate the principles ofthis invention; and

Fig. 6 is a detail section view, through the binding of a booklet withthe pages spaced somewhat and exaggerated in size, and illustrating thewidth and thickness of the adhesive binding line formed in accord withmy inventive method.

As previously mentioned, the advantages of the instant invention arebest illustrated with reference to the formation of an adhesive boundbooklet, such as is indicated in the untrimmed condition at 1 in Fig. 5.To this end, I have shown (Fig. 1) a conventional offset press 2 forprinting a continuous web of paper 3. The specific details of this pressare immaterial and, in fact, I have illustrated only the end orofi-bearing rollers thereof 4 whereby a continuous web having areoccurring printed pattern is fed toward a magazine or rotarycylinder-type folder 5. Thus, the basis for my improved method and meanswill be bottomed upon the following description of the conventionalparts of the press 2 and folder 5.

As the continuous web 3 leaves the olfbearing side of the printing press2, it is slit longitudinally into two continuous sheets or webs, 6 and7, as by the knife 8. Thereafter, two feed and guide rollers 9 and 10fold the slit webs 6 and 7 face to face and pull them through the folder5 to define a web. or sheet propelling means. At the lower end of thefolder, a blade (not shown) clips off a measured quantity of theabutting webs and folds them by a tuck and wrap-around movement'in therotary cylinder 11. This cylinder, in turn, discharges the folded websto the left, as shown in Fig. l, where another fold, trimmingoperations, etc., thereafter may take place to complete a multipagebooklet or pamphlet. As above described, of course, the webs have notbeen glued so the finished booklet or pamphlet will not be bound butrather will be stuffed together in the form of a newspaper. This, then,is an outline of a typical operation with a conventional press andfolder.

Turning now to my improved method and means, a hollow adhesive or gluecontainer 12 is mounted adjacent a conventional printing press andfolder. This container includes a pressure-type lid 13 having adjustabletie-down dogs 14 for holding it in place and provided with a pres-. suregauge 15. An air supply conduit 16 and a glue or liquid adhesive feedconduit 17 lead into and out of the hollow container 12 throughappropriate apertures in the lid 13.

Progressing along the conduit 17, it is branched to define two liquidadhesive feed lines 18 and 19 having control valves 20 and 21,respectively. Additionally, a. master control valve 22 is provided inthe supply line 17. These valves, in combination, define a means forcontrolling and regulating the volume of liquid adhesive which flowsthrough each of the respective conduits.

As shown in Fig. 1, each of the feed lines 18 and 19 supplies anidentical nozzle structure 23. Accordingly, a description of but one ofthese nozzles will suffice.

To this end, Fig. 2 indicates the manner in which the feed line 18 issupported upon a cross frame member 24 secured to the magazine-typefolder 5. An elongated, vertical pivot bar 25 is mounted upon the framemember 24, as by the pivot pin 26. Adjacent the upper end of this bar,an apertured bracket 27 grips the feed line 18 and is secured to thebar, as by a plurality of screws 28. Additionally, two upstanding cars29 are carried by the frame member 24, one adjacent each side of thepivot bar 25. A threaded thumb screw 30 cooperates with screw threadsformed Within an aperture through each of the ears 29 to bear upon thepivot bar 25 and adjust the same pivotally. Thus, to swing the pivot bar25 and nozzle 23 laterally to the right in Fig. 2, the right-hand thumbscrew 30 is backed off and the left-hand thumb screw 30 is tightened.Such lateral adjustment is essential to the correct positioning of thethin adhesive binding line with respect to the printed web.

As shown in Fig. 2, I prefer to insert the bowl 31 of a hollow ceramicor other conventional type filter intermediate the nozzle 23 and thefeed line 18. This filter bowl removably is held in place by a pivotableU-shaped bracket 32 and a knurled knob 33. Additionally, the entirefilter mechanism is interposed in the line 18 by means of a pair ofthreaded couplings 34. The need for a ceramic or other, equallyefficient, filter such as is shown at 31 will be obvious when it isremembered that one of the disadvantages of the prior, roller-typeadhesive applicator was the nonuniform binding line hitherto produced.This roller often skipped spaces and for that reason produced a bookletof uncertain quality. Thus, in conjunction with the nozzles 23, myinvention utilizes a thin, liquid adhesive, such as a Water soluble,dextrin base glue. This adhesive is fed under pressure to the nozzles 23from which it must issue in a pair of continuous jets of controlledvolume and area. The filter 31 serves to filter out any impurities andlumps which may be present in such an adhesive. Further, referring tothe orifice 35 which is formed in each of the nozzles 23, the diameterof this orifice is only 8 to 12 thousandths of an inch, depending uponthe velocity with which the web is to pass by the nozzle. This smalldiameter is necessary to produce a fine, thin jet. Thus, the filter 31serves to prevent clogging of the small orifice whereby continuity ofoperation is assured.

Continuing with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, a drip cup 37 is secured tothe cross frame member 24 immediately below each nozzle 23. These dripcups prevent inadvertent operation of the pressurized adhesiveapplicators from soiling the folder mechanism. Further, the rotaryfolder cylinder 11 is grooved peripherally, as at 36, to straddle thethin adhesive binding line which is formed prior to the foldingoperation. Thus, the periphery of the cylinder 11 will not contact thewet'adhesive binding line during a folding operation.

The operation of my novel pressurized glue or adhesive applicator willbe eXplained in combination with the con ventional printing press 2 andfolder 5. To this end, I have applied the letter A to the upper nozzle23 and the letter B to the lower nozzle. Further, in Figs. 3, 4 and 6,the letter A has been applied to the thin adhesive binding line tracedalong the inner face of the web 7 by the jet issuing from the nozzle A.Similarly the thin adhesive binding line B is formed by the jet emittedfrom the nozzle B. In function, the off-bearing roller 4 and the feedand guide rollers 9 and 10 define an elongated path of movement for theweb 3 and for the slit webs 6 and 7. This path of movement carries theweb 7 past the two nozzles A and B and into the folder together with theweb 6. During such passage, of course, a thin, controlled jet ofadhesive will issue from the nozzles to define and to form the adhesivebinding lines about which the webs are to be folded in the formation ofa multipage booklet.

In practice, an air pressure of approximately 45 pounds per square inchis forced through the air supply conduit 16 by means of a compressor orother mechanism. This pressure forces the liquid adhesive in thecontainer 12 to flow past the master control valve 22, through theadhesive supply conduit 17, through the branch feed lines 18 and 19, andout the nozzles A and B. in this connection, it will be noted that acombination of varying factors control the width and thickness of theadhesive binding lines A and B traced along the moving web 7. Thesefactors include the velocity at which the web moves past the nozzles,the air pressure on the adhesive supply tank, and the temperature andconsistency of the liquid adhesive. Further, by regulating the spacingbetween each orifice 35 and the surface of the moving web and byselecting an orifice of predetermined opening, the jet and webinterception area may be controlled. This controls the width of thebinding line. A further control is effected by regulating the pivot barto place the orifice and jet exactly intermediate the margins of the web7. This spacing is essential to define an exact and controlled adhesivebinding line about which the web is later to be folded in the formationof a booklet.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the continuous web 3 first is slitlongitudinally down the center by the knife 8. sequentially thereafter,the upper nozzle A emits a thin jet to trace the adhesive binding line Adown the middle of the inside surface of the web 7, the webs 6 and 7 areglued together in face-to-face relationship as they pass between thefeed and guide rollers 9 and it) (this compression spreads the bindingline laterally a small amount), and the lower nozzle B defines a secondadhesive binding line down the middle of the exterior surface of the web7. Thereafter, the rotary cylinder 11 cuts off the webs 6 and 7 to formthe twin sheet structure shown opened up in Fig. 3. This twin sheetstructure is then folded to form the four-sheet structure shown openedup in Fig. 4. However, it should be noted that during this foldingoperation, the peripheral groove 36 straddles the adhesive binding lineB to prevent contact of this line with the cylinder. Finally, thefour-sheet structure of Fig. 4 is folded once again to form theeight-sheet, sixteen-page structure of Pig. 5. Actually, of course, theprinting press, adhesive jets and folder all run continuously to formmany hundreds or thousands of book lets, one after another.

in summation, my inventive method for forming a multipage booklet from asingle sheet or web of paper includes the sequential manipulative stepsof providing or defining, by means of the rollers 4, 9 and 10, anelongated straight path of movement past the nozzles A and B, providinga pressurized supply of liquid adhesive joined to a nozzle orifice meansto direct a continuous thin jet of liquid adhesive toward said path ofmovement, and moving the web or sheet of paper along this path at auniform velocity in interception with the jet. This move ment causeseach of the jets issuing from the nozzles A and B to define straightadhesive binding lines of constant width and thickness medial themargins of the web or sheet. Further, this constant width and thicknessis adjusted by controlling the pressure upon the nozzle, by spacing thenozzle a selected distance from the surface .of the sheet and from thepath of movement to define a jet interception of preselected extent, andby aiming the nozzle and jet medial the margins of the path of movement.

As above described, a multipage booklet has been formed, by the practiceof my inventive method, from a continuous web or webs of paper. However,it is to be noted that a similar booklet could be formed from a singlesheet in much the same manner. Thus, some print shops will prefer firstto print a large stack of single sheets. Thereafter, these sheets may befed individually along a path of movement underneath a nozzle whichemits a thin jet of liquid adhesive in accord with the above describedinvention. This glued sheet thenmay be folded longitudinally along theadhesivebinding line and laterally thereacross to form a multipagebooklet about said adhesive line as a binding. However, whether acontinuous web or a single sheet of paper is utilized, the nozzles 23and orifices 35, together with some movement producing mechanism, willdefine a thin line of liquid adhesive having a width and thicknesscontrolled and limited to minute tolerances. Such control and suchtolerances are impossible with those structure and methods hithertoknown. Thus, my invention serves both as a liquid adhesive applicatorand as a binding method to produce a finished booklet of high qualityand durability. Those printers engaged in the production of booklets,leaflets, and advertising broadsides immediately will recognize theeconomic and quality of product factors flowing from this invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a paper folder for forming a multipage bookletfrom a sheet of paper, a pressurized liquid adhesive applicator meansincluding a hollow nozzle member having a fine orifice means foremitting a controlled thin jet of liquid adhesive without admixture withair or other gas, and means for moving a sheet of paper past said jet ata uniform velocity and in a straight line to trace and to define a thin,straight line of adhesive over said sheet and paper folder means forassociating an additional sheet section with said sheet, to be securedthereto along said line of adhesive, and subsequently folding said twosections along said line of adhesive to form a multipage booklet aboutsaid line of adhesive as a binding.

2. In combination with a paper folder for forming a multipage bookletfrom a sheet of paper, a pressurized liquid adhesive applicator meansincluding a fine orifice less than twelve one thousandths inch indiameter adapted to emit and to direct a thin jet of liquid adhesiveunder pressure without admixture with gas, means for moving a sheet ofpaper past said jet at a uniform velocity to trace and to define a thin,straight line of adhesive over said sheet, and paper folder means forassociating an additional sheet section with said sheet, to be securedthereto, along said line of adhesive, and for subsequently folding saidtwo sections along said line of adhesive to form a multipage bookletabout said line of adhesive as a binding.

3. in combination with a paper folder for forming a multipage bookletfrom a single sheet of paper, a pressurized adhesive applicator meansincluding a hollow nozzle member having a fine orifice means foremitting a controlled thin jet of liquid adhesive under pressure withoutadmixture with gas, and means for moving a sheet of paper past said jetat a uniform velocity and in a straight line to trace and to define athin, straight line of adhesive over said sheet, said line being tracedlongitudinally down the center of said sheet from end to end, and paperfolder means for associating an additional sheet section with saidsheet, to be secured thereto, along said line of adhesive, and forsubsequently folding said two sections along said line of adhesive toform a multipage booklet about said line as a binding.

4. In the art of forming a multipage printed booklet of superior bindingquality from a continuous web of paper, h meth st ps c mp i i m ng a ontu web- Of paper along a straight path in a constant direction at auniform high velocity, forming a thin jet of liquid adhesive at a fixeddistance from said web by forcing the liquid adhesive under pressurepast a filter and through a small orifice without an admixture with gas.and continuously directing said jet against said moving web of paper ininterception thereof intermediate the lateral boundaries of the web todefine a straight unbroken thin line of adhesive marking a folding lineassociating an additional sheet section with said sheet to be securedthereto along said line of adhesive, and subsequently folding said twosections along said line of adhesive to form a booklet.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the diameter of said orifice during thepractice of said method is fixed and is less than twelve one thousandthsof an inch.

6. In the art of forming multipage booklets with adhesive binding, themethod of applying the adhesive which includes providing a continuousweb of paper, forming a plurality of thin jets of liquid adhesive ofconstant consistency by forcing the liquid adhesive under pressurethrough a plurality of small spaced orifices of uniform constantdiameters without an admixture with gas, adjusting the pressure uponsaid adhesive to deliver jets of preselected and finely controlledvelocity and volume, and continuously directing said jets againstopposite faces of said web of paper while providing straight lineconstant velocity and relative movement between said orifices and saidweb in plural interception and definition of straight and unbroken thinlines of adhesive associating an additional sheet section with saidsheet to be secured thereto along said line of adhesive, andsubsequently folding said two sections along said line of adhesive toform a booklet.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the diameter of each said orificeduring the practice of said method. is fixed and is less than twelve onethousandths of an inch.

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